You are here

Project Updates for collection: 2015 iCAP Objectives

Search

Search tips:

  • This form will search for words in the title OR the description. If you would like to search for the same term(s) across both the title and description, enter the same search term(s) in both fields.
  • This form will search for any of the words you enter in a field, not the exact phrase you enter. If you would like to search for an exact phrase, put double quotes (") around the phrase. For example, if you search for Bike Path you will get results containing either the word Bike OR the word Path, but if you search for "Bike Path" you will get results containing the exact phrase Bike Path.

  1. Levenick Fellows Behavior Change project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Changing Usage of Individuals
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    In Fall 2017, University of Illinois Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) Erica Myers and ACE Ph.D. Candidate Mateus Souza conducted a study to gauge whether detailed energy reports would influence student energy-saving behaviors. The project received funding through the Levenick iSEE Fellows Program, and ultimately determined that although similar experiments had proven effective in standard residential settings, the impact was negligible in residence halls where students do not directly pay for energy. On the other hand, simple nudges sent prior to winter break were effective in promoting the reduction of thermostat setpoints and energy consumption. Results from the study were later published at the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

  2. Solar Farm construction update for November 2020

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0

    F&S Management Engineer, Sushanth Girini, provided an update on the Solar Farm 2.0 construction progress.  One key point is that 65% of the panel installation is complete as of 11/23.

     

    Points regarding the progress: 

    • Currently the project is working on installing all the panels on the posts. As of Nov. 23, 2020, Sol Systems completed 258 out of 399 rows of panels, so approximately 65% of panel installation is complete.
    • The pads have been poured and all major equipment placed (inverters and transformers), currently working on wiring the whole network. The mechanical in service (construction complete without inspection & commissioning) date is Dec 16th 2020 as per current schedule.
    • Received all panels on site, racking equipment and all major equipment such as inverters and transformers, awaiting the switchgear delivery, which is due on 11/30.
    • Working with U of I's F&S Waste Management team to achieve a zero waste goal for this project by recycling all the boxes and other materials.
    • Every employee who works on site is checked for temperatures before entering the site as a safety precaution against covid-19.

    Thank you,

    Sushanth Girini

  3. Andrew Li will be getting an update for the small scale solar projects

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus

    Andrew Li, Halie Collins, and Morgan White met today to launch a student-led project to get an update for all the small scale solar projects on campus.  Andrew will be reaching out to the project contacts over the next few months to get a status update and associated photos, links, etc. for each project.  He will then update the iCAP Portal accordingly.

  5. 11/13 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Vermicompost
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Food Literacy Project
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies
    Grind2Energy

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/13.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    • Update: Adopt-a-highway/Clean-up Program
    • Composting Partnership: Alex Poltorak of Urban Canopy
    • Student Project: Vermiculture Composting
    • Grind2Energy Additional Scope
    • Food Literacy Project
    • Update: Clean Plate Program
    • Purchasing Sustainability Update

  6. 11/13 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Food Literacy Project
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies
    Grind2Energy

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/13.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    • Update: Adopt-a-highway/Clean-up Program
    • Composting Partnership
    • Student Project: Vermicompost
    • Novel Scope Addition: Grind2Energy
    • Update: Food Literacy Project
    • Update: Clean Plate Program
    • Update: Sustainability within Purchasing (Website & Protocols)
    Attached Files: 

  7. Research news about reducing GHG from Ag. practices

    Associated Project(s): 
    Assess and Reduce Agricultural GHG Emissions

    Evan DeLucia will present the AAAS Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture on November 19. The talk, Rethinking American Agriculture: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Food Production, will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Rattan Lal, the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate.

    The College of ACES recently announced a gift of aerial imagery, two multispectral agricultural data sets valued at $1.5M, from Aerial Agronomy, Inc. The gift will be "used in teaching and research, including efforts to estimate soil health and carbon flux from agricultural land in the Midwest."

    -- from https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/1514117041.html

  8. Fall 2020: iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
    iSEE funding for Campus as a Living Lab (CALL)
    Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Freezer Challenge
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Sierra Club surveys
    Sustainability Best Practices Video
    Certified Greener Campus Programs
    Campus Sustainability Month

    The Fall 2020 iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ) was released with the following message from Madhu Khanna, the Interim Director of iSEE:

     

    Dear Colleagues,

    Attached, please find attached the Fall 2020 “iQ” – the quarterly update from the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).

    It has been two months since I became interim director of ISEE.  It has been exciting to see ISEE bring in multimillion-dollar research grants, launch a new research initiative in regenerative agriculture, and help coalesce sustainable agriculture research on our campus during this period.

    Our Certificate in Environmental Writing has engaged students in making insightful contributions to a new issue of Q Magazine. We have also expanded our opportunities for education and scholarly discourse with several online events, including those on nuclear energy and geothermal energy research.

    We formally launched the new Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP 2020) on Oct 20, 2020. This ambitious plan is the result of the hard work of campus sustainability folks who worked hand-in-hand with Facilities & Services and incorporated the vision of hundreds of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members into a plan for the next five years and beyond — all the way to carbon neutrality no later than 2050!

    I am so grateful to Evan Delucia for his efforts over the first seven years as the first director of our Institute. He has left iSEE as a vibrant part of the Illinois community, and I am working with our outstanding ISEE staff to expand upon the work already begun — as evidenced in this six-page update.

    Please take a quick look at those updates and more in “iQ.” For more regular news, please sign up for our E-newsletter at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5031776.

    Wishing you a successful end to the fall semester,

    Madhu

    Attached Files: 

  9. Research news about organic agriculture

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Food Practices
    Sustainable Agricultural Practices

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative awarded a $2M grant to the University of Illinois and collaborators to "develop improved seed corn tailored to the needs of the rapidly growing organic industry." Martin Bohn will lead the project.

    -- From: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/812995663.html

  10. F&S Executive Director Dr. Mohamed Attalla talks Solar Farm 2.0 on The Solar Podcast

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Sustainability Minor

    Dr. Mohamed Attalla, the Executive Director of Facilities and Services, recently spoke on the Solar Podcast about the progress made at the University of Illinois in regards to green energy with the addition of Solar Farm 2.0.  Dr. Mohamed Attalla was alongside Pedro De La Barra, the Project Manager for Sol Systems, as they discussed the working relationship between the University and those at Sol Systems. Solar Farm 2.0 is expected to be producing solar energy in early 2021. 

     

    Please see the link below to listen to this podcast!

    https://fs.illinois.edu/resources/newsroom/2020/10/28/podcast-dr.-attalla-joins-the-solar-podcast

     

     

     

  12. eweek announcement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Food Practices

    Food for Justice | Food for Thought, with Artist Seitu Jones

    Artist Seitu Jones will join a panel of Champaign-Urbana residents to talk about local food insecurities and the needs, desires and hopes of the community. This discussion, moderated by Urbana arts and culture coordinator, Rachel Storm, will feature Dawn Blackman, Ruby Mendenhall, Jennifer Monson, Magdalena Novoa, and Bobby Smith II, in conversation with Seitu Jones.

    October 26, 5:30–7:30 pm • Map

    Sharon Irish • Center for Advanced Study and Dance

  13. October 2020 construction progress

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0

    For this month's progress, the fence has been installed and the statistics are as follows:

     

    191 rows with motors and partial torque tubes.

    103 with all torque tubes and ready for panels.

    79 rows of panels.

     

    These numbers are included in each other, i.e., the 103 is included in the 191 and the 79 is included in the 103.

    Thank you,

     

    Sushanth Girini

    Management Engineer,

    Facilities & Services,
    UES-Utility Distribution, UIUC

  14. Illinois Monarch Project- SIGN THE PLEDGE!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan

    The Illinois Monarch project is an organization that collaborates with both public and private partners, interacting on all levels for the protection and the enhancement of habitats that support monarch butterflies and other pollinators. This project calls for the involvement from individuals to whole cities, with the goal of adding 150 million new milkweed stems to Illinois’ landscape by 2038!

    As an individual, I call onto you to also sign this pledge and get involved to support our state’s insect!

    See here for a link to the pledge:

    http://illinoismonarchproject.org/pledge/

     

    In addition to signing the pledge, I encourage you to also take the time to look deeper into all the great work this organization has done and plans to do: http://illinoismonarchproject.org/

     

  15. Campus Sustainability Celebration

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)
    Freezer Challenge
    Campus Sustainability Month
    Climate Leadership Commitments
    Major Annual Events
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)

    iSEE and F&S are excited to invite you to the Campus Sustainability Celebration 2020! This is an annual event that is especially exciting this year with the signing ceremony of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) 2020, (once every five years) and the presentation of energy conservation and Freezer Challenge awards. Everyone is invited and encouraged to stay afterward for a social-hour!

    Campus Sustainability Celebration

    October 20, 3 pm • Map

    Meredith Moore • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment

    baseline_wifi_black_18dp.png This opportunity is available online.

  16. Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus
    Achieve Zero Waste
    ISTC Sustainability Seminars

    According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. and this growth will continue to rise. At the moment, only a few states have adopted solar PV end-of-life handling policies. Thus, a lot of modules may end up in landfills. The panel discussion will be on barriers, policies, and sustainable opportunities for end-of-life PV modules.

    Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules

    October 22, 9:30–11 am

    Jennifer Martin • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    baseline_wifi_black_18dp.png This opportunity is available online.

  17. Research news for BlueWaters Supercomputer

    Associated Project(s): 
    PPA for National Petascale Computing Facility
    Carbon Offsets for Major Users

    Applications are now being accepted for time on Blue Waters supercomputer. One of the world's most powerful computing systems, more than 16 million node-hours were allocated to campus projects over the last year. This is the final year of operations; submission deadline is November 2.

    --From: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/1581349436.html

  18. eweek announcement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus

    Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules

    According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. and this growth will continue to rise. At the moment, only a few states have adopted solar PV end-of-life handling policies. Thus, a lot of modules may end up in landfills. The panel discussion will be on barriers, policies, and sustainable opportunities for end-of-life PV modules.

    October 22, 9:30–11 am

    Jennifer Martin • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

  19. Solar Farm 2.0 in F&S Quarterly Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0

    SOLAR FARM 2.0 CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
    Construction started on the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign’s Solar Farm 2.0 in August, with a commercial operation date expected for early 2021. The new 54-acre, 12.1 megawatt (MWdc) solar array is located north of Curtis Road, between First Street and U.S. Route 45, next to the Village of Savoy. Once completed, the solar farm will produce 20,000 MWh annually, almost tripling the university’s existing on-site renewable energy generation. Through a combination of utility-scale installations, integrated facility rooftop arrays, and wind power purchase agreements, clean power usage at the U of I will increase to more than 52,000 MWh per year, which is over 10 percent of the campus electrical demand. Faculty have already identified research projects that will use the Solar Farm 2.0 installation, primarily related to the pollinator-supportive plants under and around the panels.

Pages